SC Talking Points (Annotated)

2025-01-30

2 min read 

These talking points were drafted as a response to detailed notes Tequila Sunset had compiled on the Dustin Ponder case, and leaderships contradictory explanations. Sparrow shared them with Kyra in good faith to discuss the contradictions. Kyra secretly leaked them to the SC. The talking points evade addressing any of the documented contradictions and evidence.

Talking point compiled by Andy

Here are general talking points, which can be shared to unit heads:

  1. FRSO takes SA/SH seriously, we follow our policy actively and sanction or expel people in an expeditious manner. Leading comrades actively investigate and follow up on cases and take action immediately.Prove it. The handling of Dustin Ponder, Daniel Sullivan, and others show this is not the case.
  2. Tequila Sunset claims that the policy is insufficient, because it “waits to act until someone is harmed.” This is not true. The first category of the policy covers harassing or offensive speech, other misogynistic behavior, or actions that simply make a person uncomfortable without amounting to sexual assault.The policy is not a replacement for real ideological struggle against male chauvinism, which FRSO lacks. The first category of the policy was not even enforced when the students lodged an allegation of sexual harassment against Daniel Sullivan.
  3. A main principle of our policy is that victim’s stories and information are held to be confidential, and that any information about cases is “shared on a need-to-know basis.” If victims thought that the details of their harassment or assault would be shared with just anybody who asked, why would anyone come to us with their allegations? It’s more likely that they would just remain silent, or leave the organization.FRSO’s privacy policy has not been enforced to protect survivors, but has been invoked to shield the leadership from accountability, and protect the identities of perpetrators. See our detailed breakdown.
  4. Tequila Sunset is fully aware of the contents of our sexual assault policy. Yet he insists that “the simplest way to defuse this situation” would be for the Center to provide documents or emails from 13 years ago which contain details about the case. The emails Tequila Sunset asked for were between Steff Yorek and the Victim’s Advocate (VA) from Dustin Ponder’s 2014 Tampa Incident. The Tampa VA shared the emails Tequila Sunset asked the Center for. The emails don’t violate the victim’s privacy. They show Daniel Sullivan, an FRSO member, did violate the victim’s privacy with no consequence. Further, they show Steff refusing to seriously engage with the VA. This puts the Center in a bind: either violate our own sexual assault policy and make it clear to all future victims that we will hand over their confidential information upon request; or continue to endure his wrecking campaign which attributes all kinds of wrongdoing to FRSO and its members without any evidence.
  5. Tequila Sunset secretly recorded an internal online meeting between two members of the Dallas District, the District Organizer, the National Organizer and the Political Secretary. He shared the recording with others who were not in the meeting. This is something that a communist would absolutely never do.A communist would never cover up multiple sexual assaults.